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The Anaheim Ducks hosted the Pittsburgh Penguins at Honda Center on Sunday evening, securing a 5-2 victory to extend their winning streak to five games following a successful Western Canada road trip where they claimed six points. The Ducks entered the matchup sitting two points out of the second wild card spot with a game in hand on the Utah Mammoth. Meanwhile, the Pittsburgh Penguins arrived playing the second half of a back-to-back set after breaking a four-legged winless streak against the Los Angeles Kings on Saturday.
Lineup Changes and Special Teams Impact
Following a first-period benching in the previous win against the Calgary Flames, Sam Colangelo was replaced on the depth chart by Frank Vatrano, marking the sole line adjustment for head coach Joel Quenneville. In goal, Laurent Brossoit made his fourth start in five games for Anaheim, stopping 31 of 33 shots, while Arturs Silovs saved 20 of 24 for Pittsburgh. Over 15 minutes of the contest were played on special teams, where Anaheim cashed in three goals on four opportunities.
“Overall, some positive things: the power play, killed some penalties, that five-on-three early. They got some power plays at the end, but LB (Laurent Brossoit) was pretty good today,” Quenneville stated after the game.
Standout Performances from Brossoit and Gauthier
Brossoit has now won all four of his starts since being recalled from the San Diego Gulls of the AHL, consistently stepping up when the Penguins pressed to climb back into the game. He demonstrated efficient puck tracking, handled perimeter traffic effectively, and froze the majority of shots to prevent rebounds. Offensively, Cutter Gauthier continued his stellar scoring run alongside Mikael Granlund, notching another effortless performance highlighted by a no-look power play goal and heavy shooting deception.
Defensive Workload and Blue Line Contributions
Anaheim’s top four defensemen—Jackson LaCombe, Drew Helleson, Pavel Mintyukov, and Tristan Luneau—played pivotal roles in building and defending the lead. LaCombe logged over 30 minutes of ice time for the third consecutive game, including more than 11 minutes on special teams, while matching up against Pittsburgh’s top line of Sidney Crosby, Evgeni Malkin, and Rickard Rakell to finish with three assists. Helleson excelled in tight areas, Luneau provided dynamic mobility at the blueline, and Mintyukov displayed growing confidence in puck retrieval and exit sequences.
The Anaheim Ducks will continue their four-game homestand by hosting the Nashville Predators on Wednesday at 7 pm PST.
